The understanding of intercultural communication among Javanese married women to French locals related to Javanese values 3M: Macak-Manak-Masak / Hany Nurahmawati

The Javanese are Indonesia's largest ethnic group, with a noble culture that values balance, and harmony in daily life. In a Javanese society that adheres to a patriarchal conception, men are highly respected and favoured for their masculinity. Meanwhile, the woman’s role as a konco wingking (a friend in the back) is to obey the husband's orders, swargo nunut neroko kathut (following a husband in heaven or hell), which limits women's movement and places them in 3M: Macak-Manak-Masak (Beautifying herself-Giving offspring-Cooking). Otherwise, emancipation and globalization have gradually led to intercultural marriages that have become fascinating research topics, particularly among Javanese women to French locals. The purpose of this study was to answer the following questions: (1) how does 3M: Macak-Manak-Masak values integrated into intercultural marriage?, (2) what are the influencing factors of 3M; Macak-Manak-Masak among intercultural married Javanese women?, (3) what are the outcomes of the adaptation of 3M: Macak-Manak-Masak among Javanese women who are married to French locals?, and (4) how does the recognition of 3M: Macak-Manak-Masak values among Javanese women who are married to French locals?. To add novelty, the researcher applied the technique of hybridization of Symbolic Interaction and Intercultural Communication theories. This phenomenological research used snowball sampling methods of 11 Javanese married women who migrated to Paris as informants. Based on the data analysis from the in-depth interviews, it was discovered that Javanese women have an égalité position with their husbands, in contrast to the wife role and place in Javanese culture. Javanese women discovered similarities between the Javanese values of Macak and the culture of France, and they adapted the Macak values. This study also revealed that in order to maintain a harmonious married life with their husband, Javanese women and French locals were more self-aware, had an open-minded attitude, especially regarding the Manak value of educating their children, and had conceptual assimilation about no obligation to have offspring in France. According to Masak’s value, cooking is not solely the responsibility of the wife. Mutual regard for one another has led Javanese and French locals to believe that ethnic differences do not have the potential to harm family connections, allowing them to adjust to their psychological degree of cultural awareness. This produces a new culture and a new identity as a result of the integration and acculturation of both cultures. Essentially, the differences in intercultural marriages are both a problem and an opportunity to learn, and coping with cultural conflict is a significant aspect of establishing the quality of the marriage.